Shanghai Weekly Bulletin is an information service presented by the Foreign Affairs Office of Shanghai Municipal People’s Government in collaboration with Wolters Kluwer to foreign-funded enterprises, foreign-related institutions as well as people from overseas living in Shanghai. Covering major national and Shanghai foreign-related news, event information, policy Q&A and interpretations in the past week, it keeps you up-to-date with the latest foreign-related policies and developments in Shanghai.
If you have any comments or suggestions for Shanghai Weekly Bulletin, please feel free to send an email to [email protected]. Thank you!
1
Laws and Regulations
【National】
Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission Issues the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Informatization
State Council General Office Issues Guidelines to Promote Employment-Friendly Development amid AI Advances
Newly Revised Provisions on the Administration of Filing of Importers and Exporters of Imported Food Released
SAFE Proposes Further Measures to Facilitate Cross-Border Investment and Financing
Notice Issued on Extending Stay for APEC Business Travel Card Holders
【Shanghai】
Shanghai Unveils Action Plan to Promote High-Quality Development of SMEs
Six Shanghai Authorities Issue Guidelines Encouraging Enterprises to Establish Supply Chain Headquarters
Shanghai Financial Regulatory Bureau Unveils Special Measures to Promote High-Quality Development of Digital Finance in Banking and Insurance Sectors
Shanghai Accelerates Development of Next-Generation Intelligent Manufacturing
Shanghai to Advance Innovative Development of Satellite Internet Industry
Implementation Measures for the Pilot Program to Facilitate Overseas Investment of Income from Assumed Cross-Border Reinsurance Business Released
2
Q&A
An official from the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization introduced new measures for nurturing and serving small and medium-sized enterprises in the future.
3
Expert Perspective
Tiered Adjudication and Matters Left Open by the Rules in AI Disputes: An Interpretation of and Practical Outlook on the Opinions of the Supreme People’s Court on Lawfully Adjudicating Cases Involving AI-Related Disputes (Part VII)
4
One Week in Shanghai
【Latest News】
Plenary Session of 2026 SDG Cities Global Conference Held in Shanghai
Shanghai Wins International Friendship City Award for Outstanding Contribution
LME Steel HRC Shanghai Futures Officially Launched to Expand the International Application of Shanghai Prices
Shanghai Named Most Internationally Influential City for Inbound Tourism
Chartered Institute of Building Shanghai Representative Office Established in Expo Qiantan
【Corporate Activities】
Citigroup Securities (China) Company Limited Approved to Be Established in Shanghai
OPmobility Hydrogen R&D Center Project Settles in Jiading
Plug and Play Yangpu International Innovation Center Officially Opens
【Forums and Exhibitions】
9th CIIE to Be Held from November 5 to 10
2026 Hongqiao HUB Conference to Open on November 6
2026 World Laureates Forum Held in Shanghai
2026 Global Data Ecosystem Conference Held in Shanghai
【Competition Events】
2026 China Squash Open to Kick Off on November 17
【Culture & Arts】
Vienna State Opera to Begin Its First China Residency in 2028
Shanghai Museum Previews New Exhibition “Jewelry: The Body Transformed: Treasures from The Metropolitan Museum of Art”
“Art Ripples 2026” Kicks Off
Laws and Regulations
National
1.Notice Issued on Extending Stay for APEC Business Travel Card Holders
[Keywords: APEC Business Travel]
To further facilitate business travel within the Asia-Pacific region, China has decided to extend the maximum stay for APEC Business Travel Card holders in China from 60 days to 90 days, effective November 1, 2026.
2.Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission Issues the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Informatization
[Keyword: Informatization]
The Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission recently issued the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Informatization. Focusing on the development goals for the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the document sets out an overall framework of “building three systems, improving five capabilities, and strengthening two pillars”, and outlines specific tasks in 10 areas.
3.State Council General Office Issues Guidelines to Promote Employment-Friendly Development amid AI Advances
[Keywords: AI, Employment]
The General Office of the State Council recently issued the Guidelines on Adapting to Advances in AI to Promote Employment-Friendly Development. The document sets out 18 measures in six areas, including boosting AI’s job-creation potential and making AI adoption more employment-friendly.
Source: Website of the Chinese Government
4.Newly Revised Provisions on the Administration of Filing of Importers and Exporters of Imported Food Released
[Keywords: Imported food, Exporter filing]
The General Administration of Customs recently issued an announcement releasing the revised Provisions on the Administration of Filing of Importers and Exporters of Imported Food. The revisions focus on areas including streamlining filing procedures and requirements, standardizing the categories of imported food covered by filing, shortening filing processing times, and strengthening whole-chain filing supervision. The provisions took effect on October 23.
5.SAFE Proposes Further Measures to Facilitate Cross-Border Investment and Financing
[Keywords: Cross-border, Investment and financing]
The State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) recently began soliciting public comments on the Notice on Matters Concerning Further Optimizing Policies for Facilitating Cross-Border Investment and Financing (Draft for Comments). The document contains 11 policy measures, including four on direct investment, four on cross-border financing, and three on optimizing foreign exchange registration. The deadline for submitting comments is November 22, 2026.
Source: SAFE
https://www.safe.gov.cn/safe/2026/1023/28018.html
Shanghai
1.Shanghai Unveils Action Plan to Promote High-Quality Development of SMEs
[Keywords: SMEs, High-quality development]
The General Office of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government recently issued the Shanghai Action Plan for Promoting the High-Quality Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. The plan sets out 21 tasks under nine initiatives, including regulating market order, strengthening financing services, clearing overdue payments, and reducing burdens on enterprises.
Source: Shanghai Municipal People’s Government
2.Six Shanghai Authorities Issue Guidelines Encouraging Enterprises to Establish Supply Chain Headquarters
[Keywords: Enterprises, Supply chain headquarters]
Six authorities, including the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce, recently issued the Several Opinions of Shanghai Municipality on Encouraging Enterprises to Establish Supply Chain Headquarters. Enterprises recognized as supply chain headquarters will enjoy supporting policies such as customs clearance and trade facilitation, logistics and warehousing support, and high-quality financial services. The document took effect on October 20, 2026, and will remain valid until October 19, 2031.
Source: Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce
3.Shanghai Financial Regulatory Bureau Unveils Special Measures to Promote High-Quality Development of Digital Finance in Banking and Insurance Sectors
[Keywords: Banking, Insurance, Digital finance]
The Shanghai Financial Regulatory Bureau recently issued the Several Measures for Promoting the High-Quality Development of Digital Finance in Shanghai’s Banking and Insurance Sectors. The document introduces 17 measures in five areas to implement the National Financial Regulatory Administration’s tasks for the high-quality development of digital finance and support the development of Shanghai as an international financial center.
4.Shanghai Accelerates Development of Next-Generation Intelligent Manufacturing
[Keywords: Intelligent manufacturing]
The Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization recently issued the Shanghai Action Plan for Accelerating the Development of Next-Generation Intelligent Manufacturing. The document sets out the “54321” targets for next-generation intelligent manufacturing and introduces 19 specific measures under four major initiatives, including advancing the supply of next-generation intelligent manufacturing solutions, fostering foundational innovation in “AI + Manufacturing”, cultivating smart factories at different levels, and building a next-generation intelligent manufacturing ecosystem.
5.Shanghai to Advance Innovative Development of Satellite Internet Industry
[Keywords: Satellite internet industry]
Six authorities, including the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization, recently issued the Shanghai Action Plan for the Innovative Development of the Satellite Internet Industry (2027–2030). The document sets out four key initiatives covering core technology breakthroughs, infrastructure enhancement, industrial hub development, and demonstration of innovative applications. By 2030, Shanghai aims to further optimize its industry cluster, foster more than 100 high-quality enterprises and other entities, and expand the core industry to over RMB 80 billion, among other targets.
Source: Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization
6.Implementation Measures for the Pilot Program to Facilitate Overseas Investment of Income from Assumed Cross-Border Reinsurance Business Released
[Keywords: Reinsurance, Overseas-sourced funds used for overseas investment]
Recently, four authorities, including the Office of the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee for Financial Affairs, jointly issued the Implementation Measures for the Pilot Program to Facilitate Overseas Investment of Income from Assumed Cross-Border Reinsurance Business. The pilot program is open to domestic insurance institutions. Pilot institutions and their branches may use the net income from assumed cross-border reinsurance business generated through on-exchange transactions at the Reinsurance Trading Center for overseas investment, in accordance with the relevant regulations governing overseas investment by insurance funds.
Source: Administration of the Lin-gang Special Area
Q&A
A relevant official from the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization answers media questions at a press briefing held by the Information Office of Shanghai Municipality on the Shanghai Action Plan for Promoting the High-Quality Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Q
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the “capillaries” of the urban economy. What new measures will the commission introduce to foster and serve these enterprises going forward?
A
SMEs indeed play a very important role in the economy. In our work, we have always adopted a problem-oriented approach. Some prominent issues remain in serving SMEs. It is difficult for services to reach them effectively because these enterprises are numerous and widely dispersed. The key to addressing these issues is to establish a sound SME service system.
In terms of the service system, we adopt category-specific measures. For the large and diverse SME community, we rely on district-level SME service centers and service providers in subdistricts, towns, industrial parks, and commercial buildings to improve basic services for SMEs.On the government side, we have established a team of enterprise service specialists and implemented the “service package” system for key enterprises. More than 6,500 enterprise service specialists have been assigned at the municipal and district levels. On the social-sector side, we have brought together teams of volunteer experts to provide enterprises with services such as legal consulting, market expansion, and investment and financing matchmaking.
In terms of targeted service matchmaking, to better reach SMEs with genuine needs, we have launched a series of branded events.We have continued to enhance the “Shanghai Enterprise Tour” service brand and organized activities promoting collaboration among enterprises of all sizes, including the “100 Events for 10,000 Enterprises” visits to central and local state-owned enterprises in Shanghai and study programs on new quality productive forces. This year, we have facilitated in-depth matchmaking between more than 400 enterprises and central and local state-owned enterprises. To address enterprises’ financing needs, we have continued to organize “One Industry Chain per Month” financing matchmaking activities.
In terms of tiered cultivation, given SMEs’ diverse needs, we focus on key fields and critical links, advance industrial and technological innovation among SMEs, and continue to enhance the “specialized, sophisticated, distinctive, and innovative” brand. This is also an explicit requirement set for the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Economy and Informatization by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the CPC Shanghai Municipal Committee, and the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government. In our work, we provide integrated full-lifecycle services covering the identification of promising enterprises, growth support, and excellence cultivation to help enterprises grow and prosper. To date, Shanghai has cultivated 22,000 innovative SMEs, 14,000 specialized, sophisticated, distinctive, and innovative SMEs, and more than 1,000 specialized, sophisticated, distinctive, and innovative “little giant” enterprises. We are also actively advancing the digital and intelligent transformation of SMEs as an important means of improving their quality, efficiency, and competitiveness. We are currently leveraging OPC communities to advance AI-enabled transformation among SMEs.
Regarding the assessment of the SME development environment, we focus primarily on the industrial ecosystem and development environment. We have established a quality indicator system for the SME development environment to comprehensively monitor the quality and effectiveness of services for SMEs. We also make full use of our team of enterprise service specialists, who regularly visit enterprises to learn about their issues and needs. The issues and needs raised by enterprises serve as important feedback on policy implementation.
Expert Perspective
Tiered Adjudication and Matters Left Open by the Rules in AI Disputes: An Interpretation of and Practical Outlook on the Opinions of the Supreme People’s Court on Lawfully Adjudicating Cases Involving AI-Related Disputes (Part VII)
By Fu Gang [Dacheng Law Offices (Shanghai)]
[Continued from the Previous Issue]
[Article Overview]
This section examines the relevant rules in the Opinions of the Supreme People’s Court on Lawfully Adjudicating Cases Involving AI-Related Disputes that support innovation and regulate litigation, focusing on open-source collaboration, AI-related invention patents, technology contracts, and the ascertainment of technical facts. It notes that exemptions from liability for open-source activities should be determined by considering licensing conditions, security measures, risk disclosures, and the actual scope of contributions. Patent protection should focus on natural persons’ inventive contributions and whether the specification provides sufficient enablement. The performance of technology contracts should be assessed comprehensively based on the contractual terms, the characteristics of research and development, and the reasonable efforts made. Regarding evidentiary rules, a distinction should be made between the rights holder’s initial burden of proof and the proof of internal facts required for a developer’s defense. Assistance in producing evidence should not be interpreted as a complete reversal of the burden of proving the elements of liability. Specific technical facts should be ascertained through training records, model versions, runtime configurations, and risk-handling materials, while balancing trade secret protection with effective examination of evidence.
[Article Details]
III. Aligning Intellectual Property Protection Rules with AI Workflows
(III) Supporting Innovation Through Rules on Open-Source Liability, Patents, and Contracts
Article 13 requires that appropriate exemptions from liability be granted to parties involved in open-source software, taking into account the type of open-source license, restrictions on rights, security measures, and information disclosure. Where certain code modules required for research and development are provided free of charge, with their functions and risks publicly disclosed, developers and providers may be found, in accordance with the law, not liable for infringement resulting from their use by others. This rule expressly applies to eligible software collaboration. The open-source label alone cannot prove that authorization has been obtained for training materials, the use of personality attributes, or downstream commercial activities.
In practice, this provision links appropriate exemptions from liability to licensing conditions, security measures, risk disclosures, and the specific scope of contributions. Where subsequent developers add functions, change the intended use, or operate in high-risk scenarios, their own conduct must be assessed separately. Distinguishing liability among participants in open-source collaboration helps reduce uncertainty surrounding legitimate research and development activities while preserving scrutiny of actual infringements and specific fault.
Article 14 determines whether an AI-related invention constitutes patent-eligible subject matter by examining its technical means, technical problems, and technical effects. It excludes circumstances involving violations of laws or social ethics, harm to the public interest, or the absence of any substantive contribution by a natural person. In determining inventorship, consideration is given to whether a natural person has made a creative contribution to the substantive features of the invention. The specification is examined to determine whether its disclosure is sufficient to enable a person skilled in the art to carry out the invention. Article 15 requires that the contractual terms, the characteristics of research and development, and the developer’s reasonable efforts all be considered when assessing the performance of a technology contract. Once the uncertainties inherent in technology research and development are incorporated into the assessment of contractual performance, the contract’s objectives, acceptance criteria, cooperation obligations, and evidence of reasonable efforts will assume greater practical significance.
Articles 14 and 15 respectively identify human technical contributions, the degree to which a specification enables implementation, and reasonable efforts under a contract as important factors for assessment. In subsequent patent disputes, the natural person’s creative contribution to the substantive features of the invention must be demonstrated. In contractual disputes, research and development objectives, interim results, acceptance criteria, and technological uncertainties must be considered together. Any expressly agreed outcome obligations must still be examined in accordance with their terms, while the assessment of reasonable efforts must be supported by factual evidence such as research and development records.
IV. Ascertainment of Technical Facts and Regulation of Litigation Procedures
(I) Ascertaining Internal Technical Facts Through Rules on Assistance in Evidence Production and Control of Evidence
Article 12 of the “Opinions” requires developers asserting a non-infringement defense to provide supporting evidence concerning the sources of training data, records of the training process, the model’s operating mode, and the underlying scientific theories. Article 17 further provides for the investigation and collection of evidence, evidence preservation, and adverse consequences for refusing without justification to produce evidence under one’s control. It also introduces expert assistants, appraisers, and technical investigation officers to help ascertain specialized facts. Rights holders must still identify the specific subject matter of their rights, the allegedly infringing content, and the relevant evidence. A developer’s proof of internal facts must also correspond to the defense asserted.
The above provisions address the information asymmetry found in AI-related cases. Rights holders generally have access to specific outputs and user interfaces, while developers or providers may possess information on data sources, training records, and runtime configurations. A reasonable allocation of evidentiary burdens requires separately identifying the preliminary facts to be established by the rights holder and the internal facts on which the developer’s defense relies. The requirement to produce technical materials should not be broadly interpreted as reversing the burden of proof for every element of liability.
In existing judgments, whether technical measures were actually implemented has become important evidence in determining fault. For example, the previously discussed “AI hallucination” infringement case examined data cleansing, training optimization, retrieval augmentation, and external safety measures. Article 17 provides a general procedural basis for ascertaining such internal facts, while Article 12 further specifies the supporting evidence required for a developer’s defense in copyright disputes involving generated content. These provisions should operate together within their respective scopes of application. When explaining technical limitations, operators should also submit materials sufficient to demonstrate the specific system’s actual operation and risk controls.
This will further shift the focus of litigation from general technical explanations to specific model versions, data sources, and output incidents. Operators may support their defenses with evidence concerning the basis for obtaining materials, licensing terms, training and update records, application configurations, responses to notifications, and retesting. Rights holders may substantiate their claims with evidence of the source of their rights, generation records, comparisons of expression, and actual harm. Where trade secrets are involved, the scope of submission should be limited in accordance with the law, confidentiality measures should be adopted, and the conditions necessary for substantive examination of key facts should be preserved. The confidentiality of technical materials and the opposing party’s ability to examine evidence effectively should both be considered in procedural arrangements.
[To be continued]
One Week in Shanghai
Latest News
1.Plenary Session of 2026 SDG Cities Global Conference Held in Shanghai
[Keywords: World Cities Day, Global Conference on Sustainable Urban Development]
The plenary session of the 2026 SDG Cities Global Conference was held in Shanghai. It released the Chinese edition of the Shanghai Manual 2026, the Shanghai Adapted Index Application Report 2026, and thematic scenarios reports. Themed “Regenerating the City: Adequate Housing for All”, this year’s conference comprised the plenary session, the World Cities Day International Forum on Sustainable Urban Development and related supporting activities. It highlighted Shanghai’s achievements in building a modern people-centered city that is innovative, livable, beautiful, resilient, culturally vibrant and smart, while promoting the exchange of experience among countries in sustainable development.
